Jurors remain deadlocked in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, raising the possibility of a mistrial. Should this occur, her defense might gain an unusual advantage in a retrial, according to a retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge. Clancy faces three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, all under six years old. The children were found strangled at their home in January 2023.

Judge William Sullivan issued a Tuey-Rodriguez charge to the jury after they reported twice that they were unable to reach a decision. This charge encourages the jury to continue deliberations while valuing their honest opinions. When jurors initially reported difficulty, Sullivan sent them back without the charge.

The options for the jury include first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, or not guilty based on insanity. A retired judge, Jack Lu, noted that a retrial after a mistrial traditionally favored the prosecution. However, he highlighted that social media now affects this dynamic.

Lu referenced the case of Karen Read, in which social media heavily influenced the trials, resulting in her acquittal after a retrial. He pointed out that social media’s impact is unpredictable and can sway public perception and jury decisions.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington stated his willingness to retry the case if a mistrial occurs but expressed concern over Clancy’s emotional state, indicating the toll the trial has taken on her.

A GoFundMe for Clancy’s family has raised over $830,000, but it remains unclear who would fund her defense in a retrial.

As of Wednesday, the jury reported being unable to reach a unanimous decision for the second time. If they continue to be deadlocked, the case may end in a mistrial. The jury is set to return Thursday for a sixth day of deliberation, having already spent over 28 hours trying to reach a verdict.